A lot of people believe that’s there’s nothing better to do on a nice summer night than go to a baseball game. And that’s exactly what Grand Forks photographer Russ Hons did Wednesday night. Here are some of the photos Russ took of the American Legion game between host Grand Forks Post 6 and visiting Fargo Post 2 at Kraft Field …
Michael was a superstar in the rec league at age 10. Every time he pitched, it was an automatic win. Why? He had excellent velocity for a 10-year-old, and the players on the other team were afraid of being hit by his pitches. But it wasn’t just the speed they were afraid of. More so, it was because Michael’s control wasn’t …
It’s for the kids. Youth sports are supposed to be fun. Life lessons are learned through youth sports. Everyone knows the right words. The problem is, you don’t always see these truths being applied. In fact, as each year passes and competition levels in youth sports rise, these words are becoming empty rhetoric. What was once a natural way for …
Will had been taking batting lessons from me for about a year. He was a really nice 11-year-old kid with average athletic ability — and very respectable. We got along great! But he was progressing at a very slow pace, and it seemed like the instruction just wasn’t sinking in. Finally one day, I asked Will if he had any …
Many parents have told me that their child does well in the batting cage, but when playing in a game, it looks like they’ve never swung a bat. Pressure causes the mind to race, the muscles to tighten and the body to fall out of rhythm. Therefore, an understanding of how to keep emotions in check is crucial for the …
One day at my hitting school, during a class with 9-year-old boys, we were working on the technique of hitting the ball using a pitching machine. One boy, Jake, was struggling with this new skill. His dad finally decided to point out to me all the different things that he was doing wrong with his mechanics. I replied with, “He’s …
It’s a sunny afternoon at a local ballfield. A bunch of kids have shown up to play baseball for hours, perhaps until dark or a mother’s voice is heard calling. Kids arrive with ball gloves hanging from bicycle handlebars and the sound of baseball cards in spokes. Some will have to leave early, but usually others show up to take …
A few years ago while I was teaching a karate class at my gym, a mother and her son arrived for the youngster’s first private karate lesson. As they sat down to wait for the lesson to begin, I noticed the boy was sitting on his mom’s lap — he was 12 years old. An hour later, another 12-year-old arrived …